Regio- and enantioselectivity of the enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of citricacid derivatives

The hydrolysis of triethyl citrate in the presence of three serine protease s (chymotrypsin, subtilisin in BPN', Is subtilisin carlsberg) is highly reg ioselective and gives the symmetric diester. Several lipases and proteases have the complementary regioselectivity and give the chiral diester. Pig li ver esterase, Aspergillus niger lipase and Candida antarctica lipase give t he chiral (R)-diester with good regio- and enantioselectivity. The stereose lective hydrolysis of the meso citric derivatives 7a,b in the presence of C andida antarctica lipase gives the corresponding (R)-monoester. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.